Republican legislative leaders question the secrecy involved in the ongoing budget negotiations among their Democratic counterparts. Senate Minority Leader Phil Berger, R-Rockingham, also raises concerns about legislation linked to the state's prison space crunch, while House Minority Leader Paul Stam, R-Wake, spells out his concerns about the impact of the so-called Racial Justice Act on North Carolina's system of capital punishment. These remarks were featured in a July 21, 2009, news conference.